New York Atlas 25, Maryland Whipsnakes 13

Paul Lamonaca: Liam Entenmann dominant as Atlas roll

There is just one word to describe the Atlas' 2025 Lexus Championship Series opener: dominance.

New York’s shooting percentage (46.7%) nearly doubled Maryland's (24.4%), and Liam Entenmann set the tone early with an array of electrifying first-half saves.

The goaltender saved 57.7% of the shots he faced and allowed just 13 goals. That's the second-lowest total by any team in a Championship Series contest to date. 

Entenmann believes a short memory is crucial for goalies to keep their edge in the Sixes format. 

“I honestly try to hit the reset button after every single shot,” the 2024 first-round draft pick said. “What I’ve found through college, pros, and certainty in this format [is] you can’t get too high on yourself.” 

Entenmann allowed just one goal in the fourth quarter and four goals the entire second half. 

On the offensive end, veterans Dylan Molloy and Bryan Costabile led the charge for New York, finishing with eight points apiece. Xander Dickson and Myles Jones each scored five points. 

Head coach Steven Brooks was proud to see New York’s offense produce at such a high level despite the team losing one of its marquee players, Connor Shellenberger, to an injury before the Championship Series began.

“It’s about the next man up," Brooks said. "It’s just about guys buying in and not hanging their heads about Shellenberger, because he’s a great kid, he’s an unbelievable competitor, and we sure do miss him. It’s just about giving another person an opportunity of just buying in and just focusing on what we have to do and accomplish today, and then we can focus on tomorrow.”

The Atlas have bought into Brooks’ coaching philosophy, which emphasizes listening to his players first. 

“He understands that listening to the players is just as important as obviously telling the players what to do,” Costabile said. “He makes it really easy for us to go out there and play loose, play fun and be able to shine the most individually and as a team.”

Up next for New York: vs. Utah Archers (Friday, 9 p.m. ET)

Miles Jordan: Whips' veteran leaders shine despite loss

After the Atlas finished the opening quarter leading 10-5, they never took their foot off the gas and dominated the Whipsnakes. 

Yet, despite the loss, there were some positive things Maryland can take away from Tuesday night's defeat. The Whipsnakes' veteran stars stepped to the plate, starting with two-time PLL champion Brad Smith. 

Smith, who missed the previous 500-plus days due to injury, returned to the field in Sixes and made an immediate impact. He notched the opening goal in the 2025 Lexus Championship Series to put the Whips up 1-0. 

“Body feels good, the knee feels great,” Smith said. “It's awesome to be back with the boys and putting on a Whipsnakes uniform. I missed competing. ... At the end of the day, I am a competitor.”

The 2019 Duke graduate didn't stop there. 

He tallied five points in the game, scoring two one-point goals, dishing out an assist and burying a deep two-pointer to beat the first-half buzzer.

Ryan Conrad, the former Philadelphia Watedogs Champ Series star, also shined bright in his first Sixes game with the Whips. He and Smith tied for the team lead with five points, with Conrad scoring three one-point goals and one two-pointer.

But even with stellar performances from Smith and Conrad, Maryland couldn't get its offense going. That was primarily due to Entenman, who was an absolute barricade in the cage. 

Even with a few spurts from the Whips’ offense, like back-to-back goals at the end of the first quarter, Maryland had no easy goals, unlike some of the shots the Atlas put on the cage. 

“We gave them a lot of easy ones, and they finished all their dunks,” Smith said. 

Conrad and Smith combined for nine of Maryland's 13 scoring points. No teammate other than Matt Rambo (3G) had more than one. 

TJ Malone, the reigning Rookie of the Year, got into the action with one goal but was inefficient in his shooting (1-for-7, 14.3%), which seemed to be a theme for the entire Maryland team, not just on offense. 

“I can’t think of one area of the game where we played consistently well throughout,” Whipsnakes head coach Jim Stagnitta said. 

Up next for Maryland: vs. Boston Cannons (Thursday, 7 p.m. ET)